The South Korean container ship Panstar Acro reportedly completed a 50-day voyage from Busan to Europe and back. The 212-metre-long, 33-metre-wide ship left Busan on 22 August, visited several European ports including Rotterdam on 11 September, and then returned to South Korea. It was reported to be the first South Korean container ship to make the round trip via the Northern Sea Route along Russia’s northern coast, a route that had previously been impossible for this type of ship without an icebreaker.

The Northern Sea Route is about half the length of the route through the Suez Canal. The Suez route was described as having become more dangerous because of piracy off Somalia and attacks by Houthi rebels off Yemen.